SE215 Sound Isolating Earphonesby Shure

Clearly above average. Only a couple of issues keep this from being best in class.

81%

TECHWALLA SCORE

based on the following sites

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PROS

With its well-designed dynamic drivers, the SE215 straddles the line between booming bass and the accurate sound favored by many audiophiles.

To give a good fit, Shure includes ear tips in three sizes.

The cable's textured finish is effective at preventing tangles.

CONS

Because of the noise isolation factor, the SE215 earbuds are not ideal for street wear.

If you want inline controls and a mic, you must buy a separate cable from Shure containing these features.

To keep the headphones from getting loose, you might need to bend the cable at a sharp angle around your ears.

Unlike the earbuds that ship with your smartphone or the more elaborate buds you can buy separately, the exquisitely engineered Shure SE215 is an in-ear microphone. The IEM is specifically designed to enhance the listening experience by sealing out most sound from the surrounding environment. Although the headphones themselves rest in the outer ear, the product ships with two styles of ear tips--made of memory foam or silicon--for insertion into the ear canal. Also in the box is a 64-inch braided cable, but the cable lacks inline controls and a mic.

The thick 1.6m cables are replaceable and can be detached from the earphones themselves with a hard pull. This is designed to eliminate the …

The thick 1.6m cables are replaceable and can be detached from the earphones themselves with a hard pull. This is designed to eliminate the problem of cables wearing through at the earpieces. With an integrated ear hook to help secure them firmly around the back of your ears, these feel a little bulkier than most earphones but fit snugly when correctly positioned.

Although they're the cheapest model in the Shure range, the SE215s borrow surprisingly heavily from the ultra high-end SE535s. They have the…

Although they're the cheapest model in the Shure range, the SE215s borrow surprisingly heavily from the ultra high-end SE535s. They have the same style of moulded closure, for example, which sits in your ear while the cable comes out the top and fits around it....The cable is also reinforced with Kevlar...

Simply put, these earphones sound like a more expensive pair, but manage to avoid too much exaggeration in any frequency realm, the typical …

Simply put, these earphones sound like a more expensive pair, but manage to avoid too much exaggeration in any frequency realm, the typical trademark of affordable earphones. The cable—always the first thing to go on an earphone pair—is replaceable, which is also rare on affordable earphones. The SE215 isn't perfect—there are some fit issues to be aware of—but it's a bargain for aspiring audiophiles,

They come with a wide variety of tips, including both squishy foam and soft rubber, so finding the perfect size for your ear is easy. But th…

They come with a wide variety of tips, including both squishy foam and soft rubber, so finding the perfect size for your ear is easy. But the bodies of the buds themselves are oddly shaped and quite large. The cables are made to be worn behind the ear. It was difficult for me to find a comfortable seal as I experimented with different positions and tips, and once I found an angle that secured them in place with a good seal, my ears got fatigued during longer listening sessions, mostly due to the bulk of the driver housing.